To Love the Dark King
by suseagull04
Summary: The Dark King seeks to destroy the Evil Queen. But has he met his match?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I was inspired by Sean's role as the Dark King on The Magicians to write a crossover poem where the Dark King meets the Evil Queen! HUGE thank you to senselessrenee for her help with this and thequeensxthief for the cover! This is my first published attempt at poetry, so go easy on me, but I'm so excited to share it and hope you enjoy it- as always, please let me know what you think!**

She stalks through high castle walls,

Predator chasing her prey;

Princess's life to destroy,

A high price she'd yet to pay.

A glorious curse she'd cast,

Steal happiness from heroes-

With one ingredient left-

Due to her endless sorrows

A loved one's heart she needed,

Due to the girl she'd rescued

He died in her arms, lost, gone-

Since then, on revenge she'd stewed.

Amidst her search for that heart

To enact her sweet revenge,

Heard rumors of a Dark King,

Her throne, lost? She would avenge.

He roamed o'er forest and hill,

His path echoed his harmed soul,

Wand'rings led him to her realm,

He lost love, heart turned to coal.

In his wake, loss and ruin

All citizens feared his name

Fire and death, sickness too,

To him, they were all the same.

He roamed east, crossed rivers wide,

Till he heard of a feared name

His mission: find and test her

Is she evil, as they claim?

At last he's in her fortress.

He used thieves' skills to begin,

Clad in humble attire,

Weakness found, he knew he'd win.

His efforts yielded results:

Servants claimed she's always feared,

He used that to hatch a plan,

Weakness that his plan adhered.

At last he saw her, his prey,

Clad in black, aimed his arrows.

She quickly turned, his breath caught.

Infinite moment... Kairos.

She somehow reminded him

Of what he'd long gone without:

With her dark hair and full lips,

He had a type, there's no doubt.

But the man he had once loved

Was no longer to be found.

He had buried him one day,

With tears falling to the ground

Like his love, her eyes held depths,

Hair swept up, curved figure lean.

The king forgot his mission;

Her image wiped his mind clean

He recalled: this is his foe,

The Queen he needs to dethrone.

His rival and desire

Frustration shows with a groan.

Then he heard a harsh command,

That brought him back, his bow aimed.

Her heart his precise target

His aim true, his prowess famed.

But she turned as arrows flew,

Caught in hand, a threat no more.

His mouth wide, mind lost in awe:

Her high skill he did adore.

She loathed the meddling thief,

He'd turned her world on its side.

He'd snuck in, broke defenses,

Nowhere to run, none to hide.

Magician most competent,

She detected his power.

She knew she must fight, and win,

She'd neither run nor cower.

He fought her, which few dared do,

She matched him barb for keen barb,

Never damsel in distress,

Despite her elegant garb.

At last, there was an impasse,

Pinned, constricted throat, no air,

"Your move," he'd smirked, then vanished,

With dark green smoke, he had flair.

Past plans aside, a way sought

To protect her hard-won place,

To lose her mighty power

Would surely be a disgrace.

A sinister potion brewed,

That she'd give him in disguise,

A welcome gift to her land,

Its true purpose a surprise.

He rejoined his newfound friends

With a captivating tale,

Of magical sorcery

Battles that'd make faces pale.

They listened so eagerly,

Their thirst for adventure quenched.

Then clouds loomed, storm approaching,

Rushed inside, not to get drenched.

A loud knock came at the door,

A stranger seeking shelter,

Dark King invited her in,

Lost in those eyes of amber.

In return, an offered gift,

Delectable apple pie,

One that he instantly knew

Was magic, lost to the eye.

He questioned her, and she said

"'Tis naught but healing potion,

The brewer when he drinks it

Finds wounded heart's solution."

And there they are. Memories.

Coming swift as eagles' wings.

Each treasured laugh, kiss, and touch,

As it comes to his mind, stings.

Another face comes to mind:

Red lips, long hair, dark beauty,

She was his match, more than skilled,

Admiration his duty.

He longed to know her better,

But couldn't replace his love.

Lost all hope, so bit the pie,

Then slept, peaceful as a dove.

Finally, victorious!

Something finally went right!

No one could now rescue him,

She didn't envy his plight.

Lost in a daze or a dream,

He watched his memories fly

Like a never-ending reel

Of days that had long gone by.

But only one he held dear:

He just watched his long-lost love

Their days, nights, each kiss and word.

He treasured, gifts from above.

But then, as if a window

Appeared in his strange dream world,

He saw the Evil Queen there,

With those dark eyes, hairdo curled.

She began watching with him

While memories unfolded,

But he couldn't call to her,

His fate to her was molded.

It was she who trapped him here,

Death nor life, but in between.

Yet he watched her as she changed-

She was in all ways a queen.

He hoped she saw the high price

Of what she had done to him.

Then, repentant, set him free

But chances of that were slim.

Still, he saw her slowly shift

From one who had wished him harm

To one who might save him now

With a potion, herb, or charm.

She put him in a coffin

In the vault of stolen hearts.

By Henry, he resided,

Lost among the curse's parts.

But the curse wasn't perfect;

She still was far from happy.

She sulked all day and the night,

To others she was snappy.

To escape her misery,

Watched her dark foe's memories

Like hers, full of such darkness,

His joy, like hers, brief, a tease.

Her favorite one by far

One where he's bathed in sunlight

Seated on majestic throne

Considering, lost in thought.

To her, his lost happiness

An addiction or a drug

She then started seeing him

As one she wanted to hug.

His story was same as hers:

Losing love had turned him dark,

On each of them, the fallen

Had left the most distinct mark.

But still, this was so absurd.

How could she ever love him?

Not knowing where his heart lay,

Chances of rescue were slim.

And then there was her own heart:

Daniel's memory held dear.

She couldn't forget her love-

Leaving her way now unclear.

"_Love again_," he had told her,

Which the king's love had echoed.

Was it possible he too

Was burdened by that large load?

Only one way to find out:

He had to wake from slumber.

But how? When he couldn't wake

Times she'd tried without number.

But each of those was a dream.

Really try? She didn't dare.

Years later, her son found him

She almost had a real scare.

"Who is he, Mom?" he asked then.

"Someone I met only once.

He broke into my castle,

And believe me, he's a dunce."

She hid her feelings from him.

Henry always had such hope

Still loving her through the curse-

What she deserved? She thought, "Nope."

The same would be true in this,

He would try to save him now

And if- when- the Dark King woke,

He would perhaps get a bow.

Her little prince started then

To wake her past enemy.

She didn't stop his attempts,

His success so unlikely.

One day, he caught her looking

Upon her old nemesis,

"Mom, I think you might love him,

Maybe give to him a kiss."

Caught, she jumped, mind far away.

Denied his theory, far-fetched.

Yet as she denied it,

In her mind, his face was etched.

She went to him more, to watch

Memories reveal his heart.

She knew that if she woke him

She would never from him part.

One day, Henry found her there,

Had courage to ask again,

If she loved him, she'd save him,

Dearest of acquainted men.

With that said, he left her there,

Hoping her faith he'd restored

Though she doubted, he believed

His soft words had struck a chord.

Looking into her son's eyes,

The queen finally believed.

She bent over, kissed his lips.

Looked into blue eyes, relieved.

"Milady," he breathed, his voice

Sweeter than another sound.

"Regina," she corrected,

As her hands his cheeks surround.

He kissed her then, filling her

With passionate desire.

Arms around her kindling

An all-consuming fire.

Through love and Henry, they learned

How to turn a foe to friend.

Their happiness at last found,

They're together 'til the end.


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy birthday to Ivy/ EQChemistry on Twitter! To celebrate, here's an alternate ending of To Love the Dark King!**

In all of his wanderings,

He'd seldom seen things like this:

Technology beyond him,

Fillory the land to miss.

But there was some good there too:

Regina and her Henry.

Without them, he'd be so lost

In this new reality.

It's difficult to adjust;

So much of this world's so new

That at times, he felt depressed,

Despondent, dejected, blue.

But then, he hears her low voice,

And his thoughts no longer roam.

With one word, she can ground him

She alone makes up his home.

Then one day, an error made

Left him groping in darkness:

The words she had said to him

Were like a slap, not caress.

"Who says I'll die?" she had said.

"I'm always one who will live.

Everyone I love will die

And myself I can't forgive."

The words pierced his mending heart,

Tearing it to shreds once more.

Eliot had told him that

Before he opened the door.

That day's events parted them,

Never to be seen again.

Dark King wandered everywhere

Through each green grove, town, and glen.

He'd been so lost without him

Til he found a new purpose

Finding his Eliot now

Would just be an added plus!

Seeing his beloved face,

The Dark King longed to find him

For his return, he would pay

To save his heart and each limb.

There's havoc in Storybrooke,

He's a brutal enemy.

Turning the town upside-down,

From his presence, all did flee.

Overturned tables, bare rooms,

He left nowhere unexplored

Didn't know where else to look-

Perhaps under a floorboard?

In his quest, he was ruthless,

The darkness swallowed him whole.

Madam Mayor was so concerned

For his wounded, tortured soul.

"What can I do," she asked him,

"To help you walk the right path?"

"Help me bring back my true love,

Without him, I just have wrath."

He broke her heart in pieces:

She had thought she was enough.

She would do it, but for now,

She left with smoke and a puff.

She understood his feelings,

Thoughts of Daniel, she held dear.

But like Eliot, he's gone

Her path to new love now clear.

Discovered he's in this world

Trying in vain to move on.

How'd Sebastian not find him

After he was lost and gone?

The Queen told this Eliot

How Sebastian missed him so

"Bring me to him- my life now

Has been nothing but deep woe."

She led him to the Dark King,

Presented with a flourish:

"Here he is, your Eliot-

Heart's desire, deepest wish."

Arms swiftly embraced, lips met,

Heart's desire at last found.

Meanwhile, Regina stood there,

Heart plummeting to the ground.

At last, the two men parted,

And Seb acknowledged the Queen.

"How can I reimburse you

For this sight so long unseen?

"For I have feelings for you,

But none that are quite as deep

Yet I am ever grateful

You woke me from that long sleep."

"I would ask you do the same,

But for me, it is hopeless.

Thought I had love, but always

Love never knows my address.

"Yes, I have my son Henry,

To me, he is everything,

But someday, I want a love

Who could one day be my king."

And so their next quest began,

As they searched throughout the land

For the one to win her heart

And extend a loving hand.

Then she said reluctantly,

"There's one who is my soulmate,

He has a lion tattoo

That connects our entwined fates.

"But I doubt you can find him,

And even if you succeed,

There's no certain guarantee

That a soulmate's what I need."

"Nonsense," they told her gently.

"You deserve happiness too,

"For reuniting us, this

Is now the least we can do!"

With that, their new quest began,

As they searched through Storybrooke

In each house and apartment

They ventured to take a look

For the man who had been marked

For a certain destiny.

From it, he could never hide

Much less try to run and flee.

At last they found him in town

With his jolly Merry Men

They only prayed that his heart

To the Queen would be open.

But what they didn't think of:

The Queen wasn't quite ready

To replace her long-lost love

And by his side be steady.

When they met, her temper flared

His words nothing but witty

Couldn't she find someone in

Another town or city?

But alas, that same tattoo,

Mocked her from his right forearm.

Could the Queen successfully

Avoid his unwanted charm?

Once again, it was Henry

Who helped the men change her mind.

"You deserve a chance at love,

Which is not so hard to find."

So at last, she softened toward

That bothersome, cheeky thief,

That he matched her perfectly

An unwavering belief.

Together, bonded slowly

Till bystanders couldn't tell

One'd been without the other

Together they'd always dwell.

And through this, Regina learned

To always trust pixie dust

For loving her Robin Hood

Would always be a must!


	3. Chapter 3

**i wasn't going to post this, but #BlackLivesMatter and it's the last day of OQ Appreciation Mayhem, so here's the poem I wrote for my boyfriend for our anniversary, part of which was inspired by a manip that can be found on my Twitter. This is a flash forward of this verse's original ending.**

The Dark King had much to do.

He needed to be ready.

Had celebrations to plan

For the anniversary

Of the day he fell in love.

His bold and audacious Queen

Would surely love the surprise

That she had not yet seen.

Black- her color- everywhere,

With a little hint of red.

Everything must be perfect-

That one fact need not be said.

He had planned a good dinner,

And after that, a slow dance.

These two elements combined

Spoke of nothing but romance.

But would she enjoy his gift?

It's not as big as a spell,

He hoped she would enjoy it,

But only more time will tell.

She's rarely been so nervous:

He said he had a surprise.

And knowing her wild Dark King,

Degree of caution is wise.

Of course, she wears a black dress

(It's her color, after all).

She does prefer to wear it

Winter, spring, summer, or fall.

The dress fits her very well,

She's not afraid to admit.

When Seb sees her very soon,

His hands won't stay off of it.

With it, some new pearl earrings

That he had given to her,

And a matching pearl necklace

He'd given in September.

Now at last, she was ready.

Gave Henry a kiss goodbye-

Though he was much older now,

She got some in on the sly.

"Have fun tonight, Mom," he said.

"Seb has the best plan for you

One that I know you both will

Remember when you feel blue.

"The plans will brighten your day

And maybe make you wonder

Why you didn't wake our Seb

Sooner from his slumber."

"We'll see about that," she said.

"I don't know what these plans are

That they're making you so sure

His plans won't leave a fresh scar."

Her son simply shook his head,

Believer's heart on display.

"Just trust me, Mom, tonight you'll

Have smiles that match the sun's ray."

With that, she left him at home

To meet her love, the Dark King.

Though he was dark no longer-

Her love saw to loss's sting.

She met him at Granny's place

Expecting to go inside,

But when she found him waiting,

He simply beamed, stepped aside.

He held out his hand to her,

And simply said, "Follow me."

She took it and walked with him

To the forest trustingly.

She found a black table there

With two tree stumps for their chairs

Thought it wouldn't be comfy-

Like sitting on some brick stairs.

To her surprise, she was wrong,

It was really comfortable.

She saw twinkling lights above,

Hands folded on the table.

As he revealed their night's meal,

Fragrant scents were everywhere:

Basil, red pepper flakes, sauce

It was clear that Seb had flair!

They ate, talked amiably

Reliving six years ago,

Then, he pulled out a small box

Watched nervously, face aglow.

She opened it, found earrings

With apples and golden crowns.

He watched apprehensively

Hoping smiles weren't turned to frowns.

He needn't have been worried-

A smile on her glowing face

Captured by the soft lighting

That filled this magical place.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

"I couldn't imagine life

Without you by my side now

Dating or as your new wife!"

They enjoyed the nice evening

Underneath a sky of stars

She was forever thankful

He had washed away her scars!

Once they got home, their lips met,

Tongues entwined, clothes discarded

Cuddling in bed later,

Knew they'd never be parted!


End file.
